Warm coconut millet porridge recipe

warm coconut millet porridge by pamelasalzman.com

I don’t know what has taken me so long to share my favorite breakfast with you.  Although I haven’t really been holding out on you since I did snap a picture of this delectable millet porridge a few months ago and posted it on Facebook.  But I know most people want a recipe, they want DETAILS.  So here it is – my most favorite, comforting, hug of a breakfast, made with a grain (really a seed) that is so underappreciated and low profile that I am ready to shine some more light on it.

creamy coconut millet porridge by Pamela Salzman

I have posted two other millet recipes on this site, a pilaf with mushrooms as well as a mash with cauliflower.  Neither of which has received much love in the way of comments even though I promised deliciousness, but I’m back to try again.  Coincidentally, Phoebe Lapine posted a lovely millet salad with fennel and tomatoes on her site this week and I thought this is the time.  Millet’s got some buzz.

warm coconut millet porridge by Pamela Salzman

warm coconut millet porridge by Pamela Salzman

I know it’s a risk to try something new, but millet is easy, non-offensive, as well as super nutritious, gluten-free and alkalizing.  And when you make it taste like dulce de leche meets horchata meets chai tea, I know you’re going to love it.  LOVE.  I actually make a big batch of millet every Sunday so I can have this yumminess every morning no matter how busy or time-crunched I might be.  Just like any other grain, you can freeze millet in batches and defrost whenever it strikes your fancy.  I have a feeling most of you aren’t big on over-the-top desserts or sweets, but with a little extra sweetener I think this could even pass for a dessert, like rice pudding.

warm coconut millet porridge by Pamela Salzman

I absolutely must top something creamy with something crunchy, so a nut of sorts is always in the picture.  And I am mad crazy for toasted coconut so I’ll add that too, if I have some.  I wrote “optional” in the recipe next to the pistachios and toasted coconut so that you wouldn’t freak out over so many ingredients for a breakfast dish, but people, live it up and add them on!

warm coconut millet porridge by Pamela Salzman

Today’s the day to give millet a shot.  No more excuses.  If you don’t live near a natural foods store, you can order it from Bob’s Red Mill, Amazon or Vitacost.  And if you do try this creamy, dreamy porridge, make my day and let me know about it!

warm coconut millet porridge by Pamela Salzman

warm coconut millet porridge by pamelasalzman.com

Warm Coconut Millet Porridge

Pamela
5 from 2 votes
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Servings 2 -4

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup unsweetened almond milk or if you prefer to use sweetened almond milk, you can lessen the added sweetener
  • ¾ cup coconut milk I use full fat Native Forest
  • ¾ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons – 1 ½ Tablespoons raw honey optional
  • 2 teaspoons – 1 ½ Tablespoons Grade A maple syrup optional
  • 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom this is amazing here
  • 2 cups COOKED millet*
  • 3 Tablespoons unsweetened flaked coconut
  • 2 Tablespoons chopped pistachios or almonds or walnuts optional
  • 2 Tablespoons toasted unsweetened flaked coconut (optional)

Instructions
 

  • In a medium saucepan whisk together almond milk, coconut milk, vanilla, honey, maple syrup, salt, cinnamon and cardamom. Stir in millet and 3 Tablespoons coconut flakes, breaking up any clumps of millet.
  • Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat, and lower to simmer. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, breaking up any remaining clumps of millet, until thickened.
  • Remove from heat and serve with pistachios and toasted coconut flakes, if desired.

Notes

*I cook millet in a ratio of 1 part millet to 2 ½ parts water for about 30 minutes.
You can really adjust the amount and type of sweetener to your liking.  For breakfast, I am fine with no sweetener or just a smidge of raw honey and maple syrup.  You should try it with a little at first and then increase only if you need it.  Or use your sweetener of choice, such as stevia if that suits you.  I also very often eat this with goji berries and/or raw cacao nibs!
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Chicken adobo recipe

Well, dear people, all good things come to an end and our trip to England came and went too quickly.  We had such a good time and just as importantly, we traveled there and back in one piece.  But there was way too much to see and I am already thinking about when we can go back.  Even the food was better than expected!  I didn’t say it was the most nutritious fare, but we had very delicious meals.  I used to get stressed out about eating on vacation since it isn’t always easy to find kale salads and date-sweetened muffins when you’re away.  I have since let that thinking go since I realize that that kind of negative thinking can’t be doing anything good for my body.  However, this trip I think I may have “enjoyed” the local cuisine a little too much.  It’s one thing to eat a scone and it’s another to eat three.  At one time.  With clotted cream.

Alas, I eagerly pulled out my juicer as soon as I returned home and got back to a simpler way of eating.  It’s a weird feeling for me to not cook at all for 8 days, so I was perfectly happy to get back in the kitchen and make all my familiar staples, quinoa and millet, almond milk, and lots of fresh veggies.  For our first dinner home I made chicken adobo, one of the easiest things I can make that everyone likes.  It is a traditional Filipino dish where chicken or pork are braised in vinegar and soy sauce with garlic. It’s a little sour, a little salty and a touch of sweet.  And the soy really tenderizes the chicken so that it’s super soft.  I usually shred it for the kids and serve it over rice with a green vegetable on the side.  Simple dimple!

This dish is really only made with thighs and/or drumsticks and there’s a reason for that.  Breast meat gets too dried out when simmered.  I tried this with breast meat and it just wasn’t as good as the dark meat.  What I will say is that because the sauce is dark, no one will know that the thighs are thighs and not white meat.  I have made a few variations of chicken adobo and I’m giving you the easiest here with boneless, skinless chicken pieces.  If you use pieces with the skin, you’ll end up having to brown the chicken to start in order to render some of the fat from the skin and to make it look more attractive (rubbery chicken skin gives me the creeps.)  My family doesn’t eat the skin anyway so it was an easy decision for me to leave it out.  This isn’t the most beautiful chicken dish you’ll ever eat, but I make no apologies because it’s very tasty and beyond easy!  Also, it’s way more healthful to cook animal protein in a liquid or by steaming.  A few carcinogens are created anytime animal protein comes into contact with high heat, like a pan or a grill.  Total bummer, but that’s the facts.

I think you could also make a chicken adobo rice “bowl” with a big scoop of rice, shredded chicken and some steamed or roasted vegetables with a few spoonfuls of sauce on top.  Believe me, no matter how you make it, this is a no-brainer for a busy weeknight especially if you’ve been on vacation from the kitchen for a bit!

 

Chicken Adobo

Pamela
5 from 1 vote
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Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
  • ¼ cup naturally brewed soy sauce or shoyu or GF tamari I like Ohsawa
  • 4 whole garlic cloves crushed
  • 4 bay leaves
  • 6 black peppercorns
  • 2 pounds skinless chicken thighs and/or drumsticks bone-in or boneless* (I used 8 boneless thighs)
  • 1/3 cup water

Instructions
 

  • Mix vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, bay leaves and peppercorns in a container just small large enough to hold the chicken, such as a glass mixing bowl or a small Pyrex. Cover and marinate 1 hour to overnight. Longer is better.
  • Transfer chicken and marinade to a medium or large saucepan with a tight-fitting lid and add water. Bring to a boil, lower to a simmer and cook covered for 30 minutes.
  • Uncover, raise the heat and gently boil an additional 10 minutes to reduce sauce. Serve hot over steamed rice.

Notes

*Breasts don’t work well here. Skin-on chicken is fine, but the skin doesn’t look attractive unless you broil or brown it after.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

Asparagus and Spinach Salad with Quinoa Video

 

A little side note:  when we shot this video, we used 1 cup pre-rinsed quinoa and 2 cups of water.  The recipe link above calls for 1 cup quinoa and 1 3/4 cups of water because that is how I make it at home and I rinse my quinoa in a fine mesh sieve.  Hope that makes sense!

Asparagus and Spinach Salad with Quinoa

Pamela
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Servings 4 -6

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup uncooked quinoa
  • Kosher salt for salting water
  • 1 bunch medium asparagus spears about 1 pound, woody ends trimmed
  • 3 golden medium-large golden beets tops removed and reserved for another use; roasted, peeled and cubed, about 1 ½ cups
  • 2 cups baby spinach leaves
  • Mint Vinaigrette:
  • ¼ cup diced red onion
  • 1 clove garlic
  • ½ cup fresh mint leaves
  • 3 Tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon raw honey
  • ¾ teaspoon sea salt + more to taste
  • freshly ground pepper to taste
  • ½ cup unrefined cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions
 

  • Rinse the quinoa with cold water in a fine mesh sieve. Transfer to a medium saucepan and add 1 ¾ cups water. Bring to a boil, cover and lower to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes or until all water has been absorbed. Allow to sit off the heat, covered for an additional 10 minutes.
  • Prepare a large bowl of ice water. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and submerge the asparagus for 2 minutes. Drain and immediately plunge the asparagus in the ice water bath until cooled. Remove from the water, pat dry and cut into 1-inch pieces.
  • Prepare the vinaigrette: in a blender or a food processor, combine the onions, garlic, mint, vinegar, honey, salt and pepper. Turn the motor on and add the olive oil in a slow steady stream.
  • Place the spinach leaves in a large salad bowl. Add the quinoa, beets and asparagus to the spinach. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Taste for seasoning.

Notes

Feta and walnuts are both fantastic in this salad.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

Moroccan carrot and beet salad recipe

London has been amazing!  Freezing, but amazing!  At least we were prepared with our winter outerwear for the unseasonably cold temperatures.  We have seen so much and the kids have really enjoyed it all.  After our month in Europe this summer, we learned a bit about how to keep the kids engaged and not wanting to kill each other.  We also learned that Mr. Picky, who is 9, has a 1 1/2 hour time limit in any museum (2 hours if he just ate breakfast.)  Whatever we didn’t get to see will just have to wait until our next visit.

This week we have also booked a private guide each day, which has taken the pressure off my husband from whatever palace or neighborhood we are checking out.  Besides going to many of the major sites, we also had a tour of London’s East End and its many outdoor markets, a rock tour (think The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, not One Direction), and a Shakespeare tour.  All worth it and much more interesting for the kids!  We are leaving London today for Chewton Glen in Hampshire.  My husband visited when he was a child and loved it. I’m hoping it’s still as wonderful 30 years later and I’m hoping we make it in one piece since my husband will be driving us there.  On the other side of the road.  You know I’ll give you all the details either way!

Now I hope you didn’t think I was going to scamper about England this week and forget about you cooks.  Rubbish!  Although I’ve been tweeting what I’ve been up to and posting a few things on Facebook, I didn’t want the week to go by without something for you to try in the kitchen.  Believe me, after a week of scones and mash (not at the same time, of course), I’ll be ready for a few salads like this when I return home.

First of all, if you think you hate beets, you may not hate them raw so stay with me here.  This salad converted everyone who thought s/he didn’t like beets.  I am fairly obsessed with chopped and grated salads.  One of my favorites is my grated carrot salad with avocados and sunflower seeds.  I love vegetables cut into small bits so that you get a lot of different flavors in one bite.  And grated vegetables can actually be a totally different experience from their whole counterparts.  This is completely true with respect to carrots.  If you haven’t tried the carrot salad I just mentioned, you absolutely must!

The one thing you do need to do for this salad is go into your garage behind the piece of exercise equipment, pull out the Cuisinart box and find the medium grating disc which I’m hoping you didn’t throw out thinking you would never use it!  If you did, go to the manufacturer’s website or thegourmetdepotco.com where you can buy missing or broken parts to almost any appliance.  The grating disc is amazing, one of my favorite kitchen tools especially since I broke up with my mandoline.  No love lost there.  I use my grating disc to make very quick work of shredding cheese, onions, potatoes, zucchini, apples, cabbage, and of course carrots and beets.  One tip I can give you is that many food processors give you the option of feeding your food through the wide part or the much narrower feed tube.  In the case of carrots, I like to process them horizontally the wide way for longer shreds for a salad and through the feed tube for short shreds which are better for carrot cake or carrot muffins.

I was doing a Moroccan-inspired menu last month and I desperately wanted to include a carrot salad.  Many Moroccan salads are too sweet for me and include dried fruit plus lots of honey in the dressing.  In my opinion, carrots and beets are already rather sweet, so this salad is dressed with a cumin-orange-lemon dressing, a little tart and just a little sweet.  You can leave this as grated veggies and dressing for a fab 5-minute salad or make a little extra effort and add the delightful fresh herbs which turn this into something really awesome.  I eat this without feta since I’ve gone dairy-free (moment of silence), but if you can handle a little goat or sheep cheese, add it and you won’t be sorry!  Either way, this is a juicy, crunchy, thirst-quenching, gorgeous salad which happens to be super nutritious and alkalizing.

I have served this salad with all sorts of fish dishes, simple roast chicken, frittatas and vegetable stew.  I’m sure it would be great with lamb or grilled beef kabobs.  My point is that you don’t have to be eating a Moroccan meal to enjoy this.  A little heads-up about eating red beets, though. If you’ve never tried them, just be aware that when you eliminate, there will be a tinge of hot pink/red.  I can’t tell you how many stories I heard of people calling their doctors or googling “hot pink poop.”  On the other hand, eating beets can be a good indication of how efficient your digestive system is.  If you see beets later that day or the next, things are moving nice and quickly.  But if it takes 4 days for those beets to appear again,  you probably need a little more fiber and water in your diet.  Just a thought.

Ok, that’s all I have for today, friends.  I’m leaving the hustle and bustle of London for the English countryside and hoping to make it in time for Afternoon Tea which has become my favorite way to wind down after a busy day.  I know some people like a glass of wine at 5, but I’m not sure they’ve tried sitting down to tea with a warm homemade scone.  Brilliant!

Moroccan Carrot and Beet Salad

Pamela
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Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound carrots peeled
  • ¾ pound fresh beets about 2 medium beets, trimmed and peeled (with a vegetable peeler), greens saved for another use
  • 3 Tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley measured after it has been chopped
  • 3 Tablespoons chopped fresh mint
  • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
  • ¼ cup fresh orange juice
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ¾ teaspoon paprika
  • 6 Tablespoons unrefined cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 ounces feta cheese crumbled (I like goat feta)(optional)

Instructions
 

  • Using the shredding disc of your food processor, shred the carrots and beets. Transfer the vegetables to a serving bowl.
  • Add herbs to serving bowl.
  • In a medium bowl or in a screw-top jar, combine lemon juice, orange juice, sea salt, cumin, paprika and olive oil.
  • Pour enough dressing on top of carrot mixture to coat lightly and toss to combine. Add more if desired.
  • Add feta on top of salad and taste for seasoning. If you dress the salad early, the dressing will pull water from the vegetables and make a pool at the bottom of your serving bowl. You can just serve from the top or pour off some of the liquid no problem.

Notes

Salad can be dressed the day before and herbs and feta added just before serving.
For a delicious, spicy note, add about ¾ teaspoon harissa to the dressing.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Minted Sweet Pea Dip

 

minted pea dip | pamela salzman

In as much as I promote buying and preparing fresh produce, I really have no problem with using frozen sometimes.  Frozen vegetables are supposedly picked at their peak and frozen immediately, allowing less deterioration of nutrients.  I can’t, however, say the same about canned.  Thumbs down on that one.  In general, I tend to use frozen vegetables more in cooked dishes than in raw.  There are quite a few frozen vegetables which are staples in my kitchen including artichoke hearts, edamame, corn, chopped spinach and especially peas.

everything into the food processor and you're done!

Believe me, I adore fresh peas.  If they are picked off the vine and prepared right away, they can be so amazingly tender and sweet.  But if they’ve been sitting around for too long, those sugars become a little starchy.  Plus, they do take a bit of time to remove from the shell, which sadly I don’t have the leisure to do on a busy weeknight.

if you decide to grill bread, brush with a little olive oil first

Peas are a great source of protein and fiber, so I love adding them to pastas, soups, stews and grain-based dishes for a complete protein.  Peas also contain substantial amounts of many other vitamins and minerals, including Vitamins C and K, as well as Folate and Manganese.  I post the contents of my kids’ lunch boxes every Monday on Facebook, so I know many of you saw a lunch Mr. Picky made a month or so ago with frozen peas as the entrée and frozen corn as the side dish. (They defrost by lunchtime!)  That was by far the quickest healthful lunch we’ve packed all year!

grilled bread

Although fresh peas come into season in the Spring, I use frozen the whole year long.  I first taught this delicious dip in a December holiday hors d’oeuvres class, but I made it recently for a dinner and it really sang spring.  This dip is a bit like hummus, the Mediterranean dip made from pureed chickpeas, tahini (sesame paste) and garlic, although not quite as thick and rich.

light and fresh

Instead, this has such a lovely light, fresh flavor from the mint and lemon zest.  It  would be such a nice addition to your Easter festivities, whether you’re doing a brunch, lunch or dinner.  Even if you have your whole menu planned,  I bet you have almost all the ingredients to make this dip today.  Best of all, it can be made in about 5 minutes or less.  Seriously!  You can definitely serve this dip with pita chips or toast points.  But I love it with crudités like carrots or endive leaves or my favorite (and more indulgent), slices of grilled baguette.  If you have some nice Pecorino-Romano cheese, shave a little sliver onto each crostini and you will be in heaven!

a little indulgent on bread, but delicious!

I wish you all a beautiful and joyous Easter.  My husband and I were feeling brave enough to take the three kiddies to Europe again, so we’ll be in London for the next week.  I hope to post some pictures of our adventures on Facebook!  Always interested to hear about your faves and must-sees!

minted pea dip | pamela salzman

Minted Sweet Pea Dip

Pamela, adapted from My New Roots
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Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups fresh already shelled or frozen green peas, defrosted (original recipe used 3 cups)
  • zest of one lemon
  • 3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 small garlic clove chopped
  • ¼ cup packed fresh mint leaves
  • 2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1-2 Tablespoons raw tahini
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • Crostini
  • French baguette cut into ½ inch slices
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese optional

Instructions
 

  • If using defrosted frozen peas, skip to Step 2. If using fresh peas, fill a large bowl with ice water. Bring a pot of water to a boil, add peas and cook for 2-3 minutes. Plunge them into the ice bath to halt the cooking process. Drain well and pat dry.
  • Place all the dip ingredients in a food processor and puree. Serve with crostini and/or raw crudités. If you assemble the dip on crostini, you can also shave pecorino or parmesan on top of each hors d’oeuvre or sprinkle grated cheese on top and drizzle a good olive oil over all of them.

Notes

Crostini Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a baking pan with parchment paper.
Brush each side of bread with olive oil and place on pan.
Bake for 15 minutes, turning after 7 or 8 minutes.  Use immediately or store in an airtight container for several days.
Or preheat a grill over medium heat and grill the bread (brushed with a little olive oil) until slightly charred on both sides.  This only takes a couple of minutes.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Tex-Mex Matzo Brei Recipe (Migas with Matzo!)

my favorite passover breakfast

I used to look forward to Passover when I was a child even though I wasn’t Jewish and was never invited to a seder.  But Pathmark and Shop Rite would carry matzo for about 2 weeks around the time of the holiday and I loved it.  Do you know about matzo?  It’s like a giant, light and crispy cracker usually made with wheat flour and a little salt, typically only eaten for Passover.  Funny enough, my grandmother (also not Jewish) was the one who introduced me to matzo which she slathered with Breakstone’s whipped butter.  This was really the only way I ever ate it unless I was feeling adventurous in which case I might spread on a little peanut butter and jelly.

I like to soften the matzos a little by running some water over them.

I remember back then we could only find plain wheat matzo or egg matzo which was a bit softer.  But now, it’s amazing to see all the different varieties available.  Just the other day in addition to the traditional egg and wheat, I spotted gluten-free matzo, both plain and toasted onion flavor, spelt matzo (I bought two boxes), whole wheat, whole wheat with extra bran (good because matzo can be a tad constipating), and matzo crackers (Mr. Picky’s favorite.)  Matzo has come a long way!

saute bell pepper and onion; add jalapeño if you like.

break up the matzo and add it to beaten eggs

My matzo consumption has also evolved and become a little more interesting since I married a Jewish guy.  I’ll tell you the truth, I really don’t eat much matzo anymore, but when I do I’ll turn it into a matzo lasagne or my favorite, matzo brei (rhymes with “sky.”)  Matzo brei can be sweet or savory, but essentially you break up some matzo and combine it with beaten eggs and cook the whole thing in a skillet.  For savory, you can add cooked onions, smoked salmon, salt and pepper.  For sweet, we add a little cinnamon and serve it with maple syrup and fresh fruit on the side, sort of like French toast.

just needs some salsa and guac!

Well if you live in Southern California long enough, you’re bound to be influenced by the flavors south of the border.  One of my favorite breakfast dishes is migas, which is eggs scrambled with fried corn tortillas and all the delicious accompaniments you would expect like salsa and avocado.  I can’t believe it took me this long to cook up a Tex-Mex matzo brei!  This has become my favorite matzo dish so far and there are so many ways to adapt it to suit your taste. I also included sweet bell pepper and onion and then served it with fresh pico de gallo, guacamole and cilantro.  If Mr. Picky hadn’t been eating this the morning I photographed this, I would have added a little minced jalapeno to the bell pepper and onion.  If you eat dairy, this is a natural for cheese and/or sour cream.  And if you aren’t keeping Passover, by all means add some refried beans!  This would be equally delicious for lunch or dinner.  Enjoy!

i love this with salsa, guacamole and cilantro

Tex-Mex Matzo Brei

Pamela
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Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 2 Tablespoons unrefined olive oil
  • 1 sweet bell pepper diced
  • 1 onion diced
  • sea salt and pepper to taste
  • 4 sheets matzo don’t use egg matzo as it’s too soft
  • 6 large eggs
  • suggested accompaniments: fresh pico de gallo or salsa guacamole or fresh sliced avocado, fresh chopped cilantro, sour cream, grated cheese like Monterey Jack, crumbled Cotija cheese, refried beans

Instructions
 

  • Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté peppers and onions with a pinch of salt until tender and translucent.
  • Beat eggs in a large bowl.
  • Run cold water over the matzo for a few seconds to barely soften them. Crumble the matzo into bite-sized pieces and mix with the beaten eggs.
  • Add the egg and matzo mixture to the skillet with a healthy pinch or two of salt and pepper and cook, stirring often until cooked to desired doneness. This should take 5 minutes more or less. Serve with suggested accompaniments.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Chocolate Banana Almond Flour Muffins with Chia Seeds Recipe (Gluten-free & Passover Friendly)

Chocolate Banana Chia Seed Muffins with Almond Flour | Pamela Salzman

There’s a new (but not really new) diet in town which everyone is talking about called the Paleolithic Diet or Paleo, for short.  Sometimes it’s referred to as the Caveman or Hunter-Gatherer Diet and it focuses on the foods humans ate pre-industrial agriculture.  The idea is that our bodies recognize certain foods and haven’t evolved to recognize other newer foods so we should stick to what was eaten during the Paleolithic time to be healthy and fit.  The diet allows lean grass-fed and pastured meats, eggs, nuts and seeds, fruits and vegetables, coconut, avocado and healthy fats.  Easy, right?  But the diet does not allow anything processed or refined (like sugar, flour, packaged food), or any grains (wheat, rice, barley, etc.), legumes (beans, lentils), dairy, potatoes or processed oils.  I am not encouraging or discouraging this diet, which I think has its pros and cons, but merely giving a quick explanation since I’ve received a few questions about it recently.

all the dry ingredients

As I have noticed more and more people limiting gluten and grains, I have also noticed the increased popularity and use of almond flour, which is finely milled blanched almonds.  Almonds, like all nuts and seeds, are gluten-free, low in carbohydrates and high in protein.  Whereas nuts and seeds, generally speaking, can be slightly acid-forming, almonds are alkalizing.

I love Medjool dates! Dice them when they're cold -- much easier.

A few years ago I found Elana Amsterdam’s great gluten-free website, www.elanaspantry.com, which I think started the almond flour revolution.  Elana has since turned paleo, and all her newer recipes follow those guidelines.  It’s really because of her website that I was inspired to experiment with almond flour and although I have had mixed results, overall I think it’s awesome once I figured out how to work with it.  I think it’s great to add some variety to our diet and I love getting some extra protein into Mr. Picky.  Almond flour also comes in handy around Passover, 8 days of no grains or legumes, except Matzoh which can start to get a tad boring after a few days.

Add dates to combined dry ingredients

I had a really delicious Chocolate Banana Chia Seed muffin at Le Pain Quotidian last year or the year before and I was intent on duplicating it.   The muffin was moist with the perfect amount of sweetness and I loved the crunch from the chia seeds.  They were kind enough to tell me the ingredients (although not the exact recipe) and I made a tasty version at home with whole wheat pastry flour and maple syrup.  The kids thought they were great!  When I tried using almond flour in place of the wheat flour, we all went crazy for them.  The almond flour version of the muffin was the best — super moist, chocolaty and a little denser, but in a good way.  Now when I make these muffins, I always use almond flour!

it's good to break up the date pieces

pour in the wet mixture

Before you start substituting almond flour one-for-one for wheat flour, stop right there.  It isn’t a perfect substitution.  Almond flour has no gluten, but does contain way more fat than wheat flour so there are a few adjustments to be made.  I would stop by Elana’s Pantry for a quick lesson on how almond flour works.  I also have found that specifically labeled “almond flour” is better than “almond meal” (like Bob’s Red Mill.)  Per Elana, I started buying almond flour from Honeyville Grain, which has a very good, fresh product and a very reasonable shipping fee ($4.50 flat rate.

fold in the mashed banana

batter with the mashed bananas

These muffins are not technically Paleo due to the yogurt, although if you can find an unsweetened almond milk yogurt, that would work here.  Or you can try making these without the yogurt and just add 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar, although I have never done it and can’t guarantee the results.  I’m really posting these as a great gluten-free, Happy Passover muffin, although I make these all year.  In fact I made these recently and Daughter #2 had a few friends over and they inhaled half the batch in 2 minutes.  (I’m telling you, if you want the kids to hang out at your house, you need FOOD.)  To make this more of a dessert, you can certainly substitute chocolate chips for the diced dates.  The chia seeds are fun and obviously nutritious, but there’s less than 1 teaspoon per muffin so it’s not a dealbreaker if you want to omit them.

using an ice cream scoop makes this easy

ready for the oven

As always, I love hearing about your experiments in the kitchen and would especially be interested to know about your experience with almond flour or your favorite Passover treats.  Once again, I’m on dessert duty for Passover and I’m getting busy right now.  This weekend I will be making loads of Macaroons, both plain and dipped in chocolate, the Lemon Ice Torte which I have been making since 1991, and a raw cashew “cheesecake” which I will have to share another time.  There is also a recipe on my site for a (vegan) Coconut Tart with Strawberries which is perfect for Passover and Easter.  Lots of delicious options!

also delicious warm out of the oven!

Chocolate Banana Almond Flour Muffins with Chia Seeds

Pamela, inspired by Le Pain Quotidien
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Ingredients
  

  • 1 ¾ cups blanched almond flour not almond meal – I use Honeyville
  • ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon fine grain sea salt
  • 2 Tablespoons of chia seeds + 1 Tablespoon for muffin tops
  • ½ cup diced pitted dates about 7 dates (easier to dice when they’re cold) (optional, or ½ cup chocolate chips)
  • 4 Tablespoons melted unrefined coconut oil
  • 4 Tablespoons whole unsweetened yogurt
  • 1/3 cup 100% pure maple syrup or honey
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 3 medium very ripe bananas mashed

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 12-cup muffin pan with unbleached parchment liners.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together almond flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and 2 Tablespoons chia seeds.  Add dates and break up pieces so they don’t stick together.
  • In a blender, combine coconut oil, yogurt, maple syrup, eggs, and vanilla.
  • Pour wet mixture into bowl with dry ingredients and stir until just combined.  Fold in mashed bananas.
  • Divide the batter into the prepared pan.  (An ice cream scoop makes this job easy.)  Bake for about 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out  clean.
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Creamy, Dairy-free Asparagus Soup Recipe and Video

Creamy, Dairy-Free Asparagus Soup | Pamela Salzman
Creamy, Dairy-Free Asparagus Soup | Pamela Salzman
Photography by Morgan Pansing

I remember growing up in New York and feeling gipped when Spring rolled around.  Why?  Because 90% of the time it was still cold!   My parents told me that last Saturday it was snowing.  Brrrrrr!  Sort of doesn’t really match the image I used to have of spring — lying under a flowering tree, daffodils and tulips under a sunny sky.  I’d rather hunker down with a bowl of hot soup wearing a beanie and not a bonnet.

woody ends in a pot for asparagus stock

But nature is giving us some new foods to enjoy, to help us detoxify all the stuff weighing us down from winter.  I’ve been making mostly thick and hearty meal-in-a-bowl soups like lentil or mushroom-barley.  But I saw gorgeous green local asparagus at the farmer’s market the other day and jumped for joy.  And then I made asparagus soup!  Since the season is so short, I will prepare it at least once a week until I see the words “from Mexico” and then it’s adios asparagus!

a little lemon peel gives the soup a really nice bright flavor

ingredients

Believe it or not, asparagus is a total powerhouse vegetable.  It is rich in antioxidants which protect against free radical damage. Asparagus also contains high amounts of histones, folic acid, and nucleic acid, which boost the immune system.  It contains high levels of the amino acid asparagine, which serves as a natural diuretic, and increased urination not only releases fluid but helps rid the body of excess salts. This is especially beneficial for people who suffer from edema (an accumulation of fluids in the body’s tissues) and those who have high blood pressure or other heart-related diseases.  And it is a particularly rich source of glutathione, a detoxifying compound that helps break down carcinogens and other harmful compounds. This is why eating asparagus may help protect against and fight certain forms of cancer, such as bone, breast, colon, larynx and lung cancers.

looks weird, but after you puree it, it tastes delicious!

This creamy soup is so lovely and EASY.  Easy enough to make tonight on a moment’s notice and special enough to serve for your holiday luncheon or dinner.  Guess what?  Passover is next Monday night and Easter is in less than two weeks.  Time to get those menus in order!  This soup is perfect and of course, it gets its creaminess not from dairy, but from one of my favorite non-dairy tricks, oats!  Crazy, right?  You cook rolled oats with the asparagus and puree everything to a thick and silky creaminess which tastes nothing of oats and only fresh asparagus!  If you need this soup to be Passover-friendly, you can substitute 1 pound of Yukon Gold potatoes for the oats.

puree with an immersion blender or in batches in a blender

I have made this soup with all vegetable broth and it was terrific.  I tried it will all chicken stock and I thought it was a little too chicken-y.  My favorite way is with half chicken stock and half asparagus stock — amazing!  What’s asparagus stock?  You take the woody ends from the bottom of the asparagus spears and simmer them in water until you have a lovely, delicately-flavored asparagus broth.  This would also be awesome for a vegetarian asparagus risotto!  (Easy-to-follow instructions are at the bottom of the recipe.)  Happy Spring!

Creamy, Dairy-Free Asparagus Soup | Pamela Salzman

Creamy, Dairy-Free Asparagus Soup | Pamela Salzman

Creamy, Dairy-free Asparagus Soup

Pamela
4.89 from 9 votes
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Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 2 Tablespoon unrefined olive oil unsalted butter or unrefined coconut oil
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 4 cloves garlic roughly chopped
  • ½ cup old fashioned rolled oats check label for gluten-free
  • 2 bunches of asparagus about 2 pounds, woody ends trimmed* and stalks cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock preferably homemade
  • 2 cups water or asparagus stock – see note at bottom of recipe
  • 1 large piece of lemon peel about 2 inches
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt more if you use unsalted stock
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until tender and translucent, about 8 minutes.
  • Add the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring frequently.
  • Add the remaining ingredients to the pot. Bring soup to a boil and lower to a simmer. Cover pot and cook for 10 -15 minutes until asparagus is very tender.
  • Turn off heat and remove the lemon peel. Or for a more assertive lemon flavor, blend the peel or half the peel with the soup. Puree the soup until smooth, either directly in the pot with an immersion blender or in batches in a blender (keep the lid open a crack.)Ideas for garnishes: steamed asparagus tips, garlic croutons, shaved Pecorino-Romano cheese or chopped chives.

Notes

*Save the ends for vegetable stock (recipe here) or boil the ends in 3 cups of water for 20-30 minutes for an asparagus stock. This should yield approximately 2 cups of asparagus stock, but measure anyway.
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Creamy, Dairy-Free Asparagus Soup | Pamela Salzman